The arrival of spring is a time of a certain "awakening". Nature comes alive, birds return and our subjective perception of the world changes. We shake off the last remnants of winter melancholy and begin to prepare for a new beginning. It is as if with the arrival of spring a new chapter in our lives is about to begin—more colourful, more optimistic, more productive. One would think that spring has absolutely ideal conditions for this. There is more light, warmth, the days are getting longer... However, our bodies may not like these changes at first, and we may feel headaches, fatigue, motivation loss, and even sleep problems may occur. We popularly call it springtime blues. What is its cause, how to fight it and conquer it?
The principles of how the world works are based on balance, including our own biology. Therefore, when the external environment changes, our body tries to maintain this balance at all costs.
You can think of it as your body having a perfect sensor that monitors and evaluates absolutely all the information that surrounds you. Whether it's where you live, where you go on holiday, whether you're keeping yourself warm or whether you're regularly making a good quality breakfast—like our Mana, which gives you energy and all the nutrients you need first thing in the morning.
From all this information, the body then builds a specific biorhythm that is completely unique for everyone. In practice, this will not only affect your sleep cycle, but it will also affect things like hair growth, digestion and the production of specific hormones. Including those that are also responsible for how much energy you have during the day.
So what is the key to success?
The answer is quite simple. Because of the lack of sunlight, and because we don't have access to as much good local produce in the winter, we may be lacking some vitamins and minerals. But at the same time, we can also suffer from hormonal imbalances.
Due to the lack of sun and exercise, we often lack serotonin and dopamine (hormones of happiness and motivation), and more space is given to melatonin, which is responsible for regulating sleep cycles. However, due to the increased "threat" of the environment, cortisol (stress hormone) levels also increase.
In spring, however, we suddenly receive plenty of sunlight—the body reacts to this by increasing the production of hormones, which in turn can literally give the body a boost (endorphin, testosterone and estrogen). On top of that, the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment also change... Due to the weakened immune system that we "drag" with us into spring from the winter months, these changes are really exhausting for the body at first—if we do not support our body properly, it will start sending out emergency signals.
How does your body tell you it needs to recharge its batteries?
Each of us needs a different adaptation period, and so we all feel the springtime blues in a completely different way and with a different intensity. So, how do you know if it's affecting you?
- your motivation is lacking and your mood is at an all-time low,
- you have trouble sleeping and feel tired all the time,
- you lose your appetite,
- makes it hard for you to concentrate,
- headaches and impaired memory,
- your digestion is slowing down,
- you have less energy…
How to fight springtime blues and win?
A key strategy to combat springtime blues is to minimize stress and increase your internal energy levels. How to do it?
Take care of your mitochondria! Mitochondria are our cellular power plants, where energy is generated by the "fuel" we supply to our body. In fact, the number of mitochondria and their efficiency determine how much energy a cell is able to create and how much is available. Mitochondrial energy production supports growth, healing and the complex processes needed to adapt to a changing environment.
You want to support your body? Use the only weapon that truly works in the fight against springtime blues—a quality diet, sufficient hydration, sleep and exercise! We know, that's easy to say, but harder to do. To make it easier, we've put the best tips together for you.
1. Eat a balanced diet
A varied and high-quality diet is the key to fighting fatigue. You can rely 100% on nutritionally complete Mana for this. Not only does it taste really good, but thanks to the absolutely refined ingredients, you'll give your body a steady supply of energy that will keep you energized for hours! Here are a few examples that speak for themselves:
- 42 essential nutrients,
- 6 sources of high quality plant protein,
- 6 sources of fat, including premium C8 MCT coconut oil,
- 8 valuable sources of fibre,
- 38 vitamins and minerals,
- omega 3 from seaweed (EPA and DHA),
- complete amino spectrum.
2. Stay hydrated
Water is a major component of the body's internal environment. It supports the absorption of nutrients and carries minerals, vitamins and other substances to the cells that need them. Water simply keeps the whole world alive—and our bodily fluids moving. It allows our lungs, liver, and kidneys to do their jobs and remove substances from our bodies that we don't want there.
If the body is deficient in water, it is harder to eliminate these harmful substances from the body and our concentration, sports performance and headaches are also reduced. It is therefore generally recommended that an adult should drink 30 to 45 ml of fluid per kilogram of bodyweight per day. Try to make this a new habit and start your day with a glass of water.
3. Get enough sleep
Sleep has been shown to improve memory, regulate metabolism and reduce mental fatigue. When a person sleeps, the brain reorganizes itself, recharges and removes toxic waste by-products. So try to get some insurance for a good night's sleep:
- Stay away from blue light for at least 2 hours before bedtime (you can block it with special glasses or set up a filter on your phone).
- Close the blinds in your bedroom and try to make the room as dark as possible.
- Supplement with magnesium (you'll find magnesium in a highly absorbable, chelated form in Mana).
- Give herbal tinctures a chance—St John's wort, lemon balm or valerian will help.
4. Sun and exercise
The sun is one of the most natural sources for vitamin D production in the body. This vitamin is essential for proper immune system function, bone and dental health, as well as mental performance.
However, according to the National Institute of Health, approximately 1 billion people worldwide are deficient in vitamin D, and vitamin D deficiency occurs in all ethnicities and age groups. That's why we've added even more vitamin D to our latest Mark 7 formula in a new form of vitamin D3—combined with the original vitamin D2. This now makes the D in Mana even more absorbable and usable.
But back to the sun. It is scientifically proven that people who are exposed to more natural light are more productive and more motivated to move. Just walking improves oxygenation of the brain and blood, which benefits overall recovery, relieves tension and deepens sleep. So face the sun and start moving more. Even small changes are enough to get you started—swap the escalator and elevator for the stairs, do a few squats during work hours, walk the dog or go for a bike ride...
Simply treat yourself all year round and your body will pay you back (not only) in spring. The human body is absolutely brilliant. The cells in our body are constantly renewing themselves with a certain regularity, so all our body needs from us is to give it a little support.
Sources:
[1] Hayk S. Arakelyan (2019) Springtime lethargy.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332752060_Springtime_lethargy
[2] M. Picard, B. S. McEwen, E. S. Epel, C. Sandi (2018) An energetic view of stress: Focus on mitochondria.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091302218300062
[3] medium.com (2018) How Biorhythms change with the seasons.
https://medium.com/@brandnbodylogic/how-biorhythms-change-with-the-seasons-4e82e581a1de
[4] M. F. Holick (2012) Evidence-based D-bate on health benefits of vitamin D revisited.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3427198/
[5] D. Aggio, L. Smith, A. Fisher, M. Hamer (2015) Association of Light Exposure on Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in Young People.
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/12/3/2941
[6] A. R. Eugene, J. Masiak (2015) The Neuroprotective Aspects of Sleep.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651462/
[7] celostnimedicina.cz (2016) Jarní únava.
https://www.celostnimedicina.cz/jarni-unava.htm
[8] M. F. Holick (2012) Evidence-based D-bate on health benefits of vitamin D revisited.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3427198/